Controlling mechanism for centrifugal separators



Feb. 21, J. E. THOLL CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATORS Filed April '0', 1946 4 Shee'ts-Sheet l .1. E. THOLL 2,498,314

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIF'UGAL SEPARATORS Feb. 21, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1946 Izwenbw J. E. THOLL Feb. 21, 1950 CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 5, 1946 Line Feb. 21, 1950 J. E. THOLL CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATORS Filed April 5, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR CEN- TRIFUGAL SEPARATORS Application April 3, 1946, Serial No. 659,239

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to automatically operated brake mechanisms for controlling the operation of centrifugal separators, and it will be herein disclosed as embodied in a mechanism designed more especially to meet the requirements of the operation of centrifugal separators in sugar refiners and plants in which similar conditions exist. The invention aims to devise a mechanism of this character which not only will be exceptionally convenient for the workmen to operate but which, also, will contribute very substantially to the safety of both the machine and the operator.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a typical brake mechanism to which this invention is applicable;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of parts of a brake operating mechanism constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 3 is a side view of some parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4. is a side elevation of the brake mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and much of the controlling mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. modification; and

Figs. 6 and 7 are wiring diagrams showing typical arrangements in which these brake controlling systems may be employed.

The invention will be herein disclosed in conlshowing a nection with a brake mechanism of the character shown and described in my earlier Patent No. 2,112,430, granted March 29, 1938, and reference may be made to that patent for a more detailed illustration of the brake mechanism.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 4, it comprises a brake drum 2 fast on the basket shaft 3 of a centrifugal separator. Substantially encircling this drum is a brake band 4 anchored at one end on a draw bar 5 which is slidable through the post 6 and is encircled by a spring I which constantly exerts a strong pull on said bar in a direction to tighten the band 4 around the brake drum. The opposite end of the brake band has two springs 8 connected to it and anchored to the post Hi so that they tend to release the brake. In order to tighten it against the action of these springs a rod i2 is secured at one end to the end of the band 4 by means of a pivoted yoke l3, and it is pivoted at its opposite end to a lever arm 14 secured fast on the upper end of a shaft !5 which rocks about a vertical axis in a bearing post mounted fast on the machine frame. A hand lever l6, Figs. 2 and 4, is mounted loosely on the lower end portion of the shaft l5 and a spring l1, connected with this lever, is strong enough to keep said lever in the position shown in Fig. 2 when it is allowed to do so.

Mounted fast on the shaft I5 is a latch lever I 8. When the lever I6 is swung in a counterclockwise direction to release the brake, a dog 20, Fig. 3, on said lever engages another dog 2| on the latch lever l8 and swings this latch from its dotted line position, Fig. 2, to the full line position in which it is shown in said figure. At this time the end of the latch lever slides under a plunger 22, pressed downwardly by the spring 23, Fig. 4, and snaps into a hole in the latch lever l3 and locks it, thus holding the brake in its inoperative condition where the brake drum and its shaft 3 are free to revolve.

When it is desired to stop the centrifugal the latch l8 may be released manually by pushing upward on the bottom of the plunger 24, this plun er having an extension projecting upwardly from it and terminating in a pin 25, Fig. 4, which. lies directly under, and in alignment with, the plunger 22. Consequently, when this plunger is lifted the end of the pin 25 enters a hole in the bottom of the plunger 22, raises the latter, and thereby releases the latch it. A strong spring 26, Fig. 2, immediately acts on the latch l8 to swing it. and the shaft I 5 to which it is secured. in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, and thereby contracts the brake band 4 on the drum 2 and stops the machine. The swinging movement of the latch 58 just described is permitted, notwithstanding the fact that the pin 25 has been pushed up through it, by the slot a, Fig. 2, in the end of the latch lever.

Provision also is made for releasing the latch 18 and stopping the machine by remote control. For this purpose a solenoid 2?, Fig. i, is arranged to encircle the shaft of the plunger 24, and it includes a section of magnetic metal so positioned with reference to the solenoid that when the latter is energized it lifts the plunger pin 25 and trips the latch releasing plunger 22, in the manner above described, and stopping the machine.

In this connection it may be pointed out that as soon as the latch lever 18 is locked in its power-on and brake-off" position, and the hand lever I6 is released, its spring I? immediate- 1y returns it to its idle position, and this movement does not afiect the position of the latch because of the lost motion relationship between the two parts l6 and I8; or, in other words, the fact that the lever I6 is free to rotate around the shaft I5. Consequently, when the latch I8 is releasedi no movement of the "IGVGIWBEOCCUI'S',"

as would-be the caseif it wereleft in its dotted line position, Fig. 2, where a quick backward swing might strike and injure a workman.

Also included in the electricahconnections.is a safety switch 28, Fig. 2, which; in th'efp'osi tion there shown, closes a circuit through contacts 3ll30.

section 3|, Fig. 2, the plunger normally being held by a spring 32 in position 'to-maintainsthe switch open. However, when the operating lever I6 is swung to the brake-off position; which occurs only after the main switch for the motor hasbeen: closed, a lug- 33-= extending. fromthe latch lever lil engages oneend of the plunger 3i andcforces itbackwardlyz'far' enough toti-p the switch into the position: shown. in Fig; 2, where it closes theswitch. Itremains in: its closed position so long as -the handle is in its brake-off positions, butit is opened automatically by thespring 132-whenever the brake latch is released and the brake is applied. This switch is .connected in series with. the main switch. controlling the driving motor. Consequently; the machine cannot be started up until both 'the main switch and the safety switch 23 have-been closed Thus,-the brake control mechanism and theswitch 28 are "so interlocked that if. the oper ator should leave the machine with. the'brakeon, he could not start it up withoutfirst releasing. the brake.

Preferably the latch, switch mechanism, and adjacent parts, are enclosed in a suitable casing, such as that shown at- 34.

In manycases it is desirable to provide for-the" automatic setting of the brake in theeventof apower failure. An arrangementdevisedfor this purpose-is-illustratedin Fig. where the switch-28--is-included, as-shown in- Fig; 2, and: is operated in the same nianner-but is connected in a circuit to control the-application ofpower to a solenoid 35 so that when the switch is closed it energizes this solenoid and causes it to strengthen the toggle 36.- This forces down the assembly, includingthelocking-plunger 22'"; and holds this look in its operative position; This movement is transmitted through an outer coiled spring 31', which is-heldcompressed so long as the solenoid is energized, andthetoggle, there'- fore;remains straighteneda If power should fail; thus de-energizin thessolenoid 35, its plunger would'bea forced toward the left, Fig- 5;-byan. internal spring (not shown) thus breaking the toggle and at the sametimereleasingrtheenergy' ofthe spring 31 which lifts the-sleeve 38in which the latch: lockingplunger 22' is'enclosecL- There is: a short lost-motion connection between this sleeveand' the head of the plunger so that when this "lost motion has been taken upby the "up= ward movement of" the plunger it will strike the head of the plunger 22 with a-hammer blow'of sutficient intensity to lift' it out'of th hole in the latch l8 and release the latter: This mechanism also includes a manually operated plunger 24" by means of which the latch :I8ican be areleased at any time; as irr'the arrangement'shown inFigA 7 While this mechanismxmay be used 'in a con This switch is'operated: by' 'az-hor-izontally slidable plunger, including-a U-sh'aped siderable variety of control circuits, a typical circuit is illustrated in Fig. 6, designed more especially for use with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. A detailed description of the circuit is not deemed necessary, but it may be pointed out that in starting. the machine'from' rest, the operator first swings the lever I6 in a counter-clockwise direction, as above described, to latch the brake in its oiT position. At the same time this closes thebrakeinterlock switch or safety switch 28. This switch must be closed before any circuit in the control system will work.

The operator then: presses the start button whichbrings the timer into action. As it is started the contact A is closed and remains closed for -the duration of the time period. The circuit which this contact A controls energizes the holding coil of the main motor M and thus starts up this motor and the basket shaft of the centrifugal separator driven by it. At the end'. of the period for which the-timer dial isset, the contact A is opened-and contact B- is closed, thus cutting oiT-power from themain motor M while simultaneously energizing the brake release-sole noid 21. This permits the brake springs'toapply the brake, stop thecentrifugal,andalso results in opening'th'e'safetyswitch 28.

Time controlling mechanisms of this charac terJare manufactured by the'Automatic'Tempera-= ture Control Company, and several other con' cerns, and theyare used to some extent'in' connection with the operation ofcentrifugal sep arators.

Fig. 7 illustratesdiagrammatically an arrange ment with'which. the construction shown in Fig: 5 can be used; Here again, in starting up from a condition of rest, the operator must 'latch-the brake in its off position, which closes the switch 28 and results in closing the relay control switch C and energizes the brake lock solenoid 35. This operates the plunger 22 to lock the brakein its' ofi position, as above described. Theflop'; erator then presses the start button" which brings the timer control into action with the same results above described.

In'this circuit a second relay Dis employed for two purposes-first, to de-energize th coil 35 at the end of the cycle, and, second, to cutoff' the timer in readiness for re-cycling. Consequently, at the end of the time period for'which the timerdial is set, the contact A is opened, Bis closedjthus cutting power off the main motor. M; and the closing'of contact B energizes re lay D, which then operates to de-energizethe brake coil 35. This, as above explained, resultsin setting the brake and stopping the centrifugal) This ends the cycle.

With the'first of these controlsystems, there fore, the centrifugal is started into operation'by: the manual actuation of the lever I6, and such operation may be interrupted and the brakeset either by manually actuating the plunger 24; or by remotecontrol through th solenoid 21.

With the second mechanism the samestarting'ioperation may. be performed and the machine'- may be stopped and the brake set either manually: or automatically by a failure of power. In" both cases the safety switch 28 prevents starting; up; the centrifugal with'the brake on.

Also, in both cases the danger of accident to a workman in thevicinity of th control system; due to .the release of the hand lever either manu= ally or automatically, is avoided" by the lost=-- motion. connection above described and Ithe-Ifact that the hand lever is returned to its inoperative condition automatically immediately after it has been used to latch the brake in its off position.

While I have herein shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be evident that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms within the spirit and scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. In a control mechanism for centrifugal separators, the combination with an electric motor for driving the basket shaft of the centrifugal and a brake for stopping the rotation of said shaft, of mechanism for locking said brake in its off position, means for applying said brake automatically upon the release of said locking mechanism, and apparatus operable to release said locking mechanism selectively by electrical control or manually, as desired.

In a control mechanism for centrifugal separators, the combination with an electric motor for driving the basket shaft of the centrifugal 4-. A control mechanism according to preceding claim 1, in combination with means under the control of said brake controlling mechanism for preventing said centrifugal separator from being started up without first releasing said brake.

5. In a control mechanism for centrifugal separators, the combination with an electric motor for driving the basket shaft of the centrifugal and a brake for stopping the rotation of said shaft, or operating mechanism for said brake comprising an operating lever and a latch lever both mounted to swing about a common axis, a lock operable to hold said latch lever in position to lock said brake in its off position, springs connected with both said levers to hold them normally in their inactive positions, a lost-motion connection through which said operating lever is operable to move the latch lever into its brakereleasing position where it will be held by said look while the operating lever is returned by its spring to its inactive position, and means for applying said bra-ke automatically to stop said shaft when said lock releases said latch lever.

6. A control mechanism according to preceding claim 5, in combination with a control circuit for said motor, a solenoid in said circuit controlling the operation of said lock, and a switch controlling said motor and itself controlled by the position of said latch lever.

7. In a control mechanism for centrifugal separators, the combination with an electric motor for driving the basket shaft of the centrifugal and a brake for stopping the rotation of said shaft, of operating mechanism for said brake comprising an operating lever and a latch lever both mounted to swing about a common axis, a spring-pressed plunger operable to lock said latch lever in position to hold said brake in its off position, springs connected with both said levers to hold them normally in their inactive positions, a lost motion connection through which said operating lever is operable to move the latch lever into its brake-releasing position where it will be held by said plunger While the operating lever is returned by its spring to its inactive position, means for applying said brake automatically to stop said shaft when said plunger is moved to release said latch lever, a brake interlocking switch under the control of said latch lever, a control circuit for said motor in which said switch is so connected as to prevent the motor from being started up while the brake is on, a solenoid associated with said plunger to operate it to release said latch lever, and a relay-controlled switch for energizing said solenoid, the last mentioned switch being under the control of said brake interlocking switch.

JOHN E. THOLL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 676,263 Kitsee June 11, 1901 1,865,584 Perry July 5, 1932 

